In a letter dated April 1, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice notified the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office that it is investigating the handling of the Presidential Preference Election.
County Recorder Helen Purcell and failed to provide enough polling places across the County resulting in some people waiting in line unitl midnight. Purcell, with the knowledge of Secretary of State Michele Reagan only had 60 polling locations open when in the past 200 had been operating.
The chief of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Voting Section, Chris Herren, requested information related to procedures for determining the number and locations of polling places, whether voters could vote at any polling places, data totals on who cast votes, as well as the actual times that polls accommodated the last of their voters.
The letter read in part: “We have reports that a number of Maricopa County voters waited several hours to cast a ballot on election day. We also understand that there were allegations of disproportionate burden in waiting times to vote on election day in some areas with substantial or language minority populations.”
The information is expected to be turned over by April 22.